1. Technical Field
The present invention provides a touch-sensitive linear adjustment switch. More particularly, the present invention relates to a switch designed to be touched along a linear direction in order to turn on or off an external power source or make stepwise adjustment to the magnitude of the power supplied from the external power source.
2. Description of Related Art
A consumer electronic product, be it a computer, a communication device, or an electric home appliance, is often equipped with rotary knobs or switches for making adjustments. Such adjustment switches are analog control elements and generally are used to switch on or off the power supply to a circuit and adjust the magnitude of the power supplied, thereby adjusting the operation speed or output power of an electric appliance, such as the rotation speed of an electric fan, the coolness of an air conditioner, the acoustic volume of a loudspeaker, the brightness of an electric lamp, the signal strength of a radio, and so forth.
As is well known, a conventional adjustment switch is typically composed of mechanical structures which include a switch housing, a spindle pivotally connected to the switch housing and configured to be turned by the user, and a knob provided at the top of the spindle to facilitate turning by the user. Generally, such an adjustment switch is electrically connected to the circuit of an electric appliance, and the resistance of the switch can be controlled by the spindle for current and voltage adjustment. Thus, the magnitude of the power supplied from an external power source to the circuit can be controlled to thereby control the operation speed and output power of the electric appliance.
However, the mechanical components the conventional mechanical adjustment switch described above tend to get loose, malfunction, or become damaged after long-term and frequent use, not to mention that a deposition of dust or a buildup of grime on the mechanical components may, if not shortening the service life of the switch, compromise the ability of the switch to adjust and control a power source.